A Better Way To Help Kids Learn How To Multiply By 9

Multiplication-Division | 6 comments

My daughter is in the third grade and the other night she brought home the Finger Trick for learning “multiplying by 9.” It was not her teacher who taught her this, one of the students brought it into the classroom showing it to everybody and the teacher tried to help...

Subtraction On A Rekenrek

Add-Subtract-Place Value | 6 comments

I talk a lot about how to use the Rekenrek for number sense and for addition. However, I want to talk about how to use the Rekenrek to help your students develop the ideas around subtraction. In today’s vlog, we investigate how to use the Rekenrek to do subtraction...

Why Place Value Needs To Come First

Add-Subtract-Place Value | 10 comments

Recently, I did a video about, why we should not be teaching students subtraction strategies and instead focusing on three key concepts around subtraction that help kids develop the strategies for themselves. I received a response back that asked, “So, does this...

4 Mathy Things You Can Get Anyone This Christmas

Math Pedagogy | 11 comments

In my neck of the woods, it’s that time of year when we start pulling out the big, chunky sweaters. That always starts me thinking about the holidays, specifically Christmas, and what I’m going to get my kids. Every year, there’s this idea floating around...

The BEST Way To Teach Subtraction

Add-Subtract-Place Value | 0 comments

Recently I received an email asking me, “what is the BEST way to teach subtraction?”. My response was, “I’m kind of the wrong person to ask because I don’t think we should teach subtraction strategies.” In this vlog, I explain that statement and talk about...

How To Teach The Standards for Mathematical Practice

Math Pedagogy | 1 comment

When the Common Core Standards first came out, like everybody else, I went directly to my grade level standards to see what I needed to teach. That’s common because we have to figure out what has changed and what we’re responsible for helping our kids...

Number Sense for Upper Elementary

Fractions, Multiplication-Division, Number Sense | 0 comments

I’ve been getting lots of requests to talk about what number sense looks like for upper grades kiddos, especially upper elementary and even into middle school. I have been talking about these four number relationships that I first discovered through John Van de...